Unrest and protest are elements that always have played a large role in most societies, and in the last several years in this country, both have grown in size, scope, and anger. We are at the cusp of a potential fascist regime, and if the wrong side wins the election next month, the protests we’ve witnessed to this point might seem small in comparison.

While many have and possibly will take up arms and head into the streets, there are other ways of protest and various means of joining the fight even if not physically. That’s at the heart of “The Insurrectionists and the Caretakers,” the third full-length from Auriferous Flame, the project helmed solely by Ayloss (Spectral Lore, Mystras, etc.). Yes, there are those who thrive to jump into the physical battles, and they deserve honor, but so do those who work from their homefront, creating safe spaces for those impacted, donating to worthy causes, and spreading the word of revolution. This three-track effort visits both parts of that, holding torches aloft for anyone battling against tyranny.

“The Insurrectionists” opens, a 15:40-long tale that drives in, torches ablaze, ramping up to a fiery force that aims to scorch apprehension to fight against overreaching power. ” “No more shall I run like the servant of the state, correcting false accidents, intentional shortcomings, but I will strike to destroy it, once and for all,” Ayloss howls, the snarling force working into a dark miasma, the pace numbing while the cries stretch muscle beyond their limits. The playing continues to add steam, maniacal patterns making blood rush, howls bringing down pillars, storming fire laying waste to whatever forces stand in the way. “I know in my path I crossed as many victories as misdeeds,” Ayloss howls, “you were all free to judge me, before and now that my time has come, to my grave I want one truth to be written: At least I have revolted,” as the final waves rush into the smoke from battle.

“The Caretakers” blazes, a crushing force that knows no bounds, forceful howls painting memories of the fires in our heart that linger over time. “Now that my hair is greying, my heart sinks and my feet tremble,” Ayloss howls. “At the reality of speaking my truth loud, against the face of an authority that can wipe you out, the moment it decides so…” The assault is relentless musically, daring a violent pace, guitars slashing as feral calls aim for blood. The leads grow more direct, spirited “woah” calls igniting adrenaline, the spirit of defiance boiling over as Ayloss wails, “Oh, how did you not foresee the sprout of resistance, growing from the most unexpected of places…” “An Oration to the Storm” finishes the album, charging up and unleashing guitars that race and quake, driving howls going for the neck. The playing is speedy and manic, guitars hitting a boil, Ayloss calling, ” What did you remember when the vortex swept over you? And the violence of the void whispered black, release it like a spell for the mountains to quake.” Fast and lathering melodies rise to the surface, the playing rippling and spitting fire, slowly fading into quieter sounds, a serenity that hopefully marks the end of a battle won.

The struggle against forces that would seek to end us, a bubbling fascism that’s sprouting across the world, will be fought in many different ways, which Ayloss illustrates violently and passionately on “The Insurrectionists and the Caretakers.” Both roles have their means and advantages, and what this Auriferous Flame record serves to do is remind us of what we’re facing so we know exactly where we fit once the swords are unsheathed. It will take everyone, no matter what purpose you serve, to burn this force into permanent ash, and it’ll take a collective effort to make sure this is stamped into the ground and mercilessly eradicated.

For more on the band, go here: https://www.facebook.com/Auriferousflame

To buy the album, go here: https://truecultrecords.bandcamp.com/album/the-insurrectionists-and-the-caretakers

For more on the label, go here: https://truecultrecords.bandcamp.com/

Even amid all of the metallic destruction that takes up our listening time every week, there needs to be time to pull back and let our brains have some peace. That doesn’t necessarily mean loud noises must be banished, as they can be very helpful, but there can be a chance to let your blood reoxygenate as you try to find calmer waters.

One-person black metal project Isleptonthemoon feels like the sweet spot between heaviness and reflection. The band’s new record “Only the Stars Know My Misfortune” has found a perfect home on the Bindrune roster, slipping alongside their slate of atmospheric black metal releases but also adding more on the sensitive side. That doesn’t necessarily mean overly emotional; it’s just the music touches on every sense, always coating the discovery with a fresh coat of metallic majesty for good measure. It’s a good soundtrack for checking in with oneself, which is something we should do more often.

“Safety” dawns calmly as acoustics wash over, soft singing guiding as the momentum builds, and then shrieks explode, heading into hyper-melodic territory. The pace thrashes, keys plinking like ice droplets, a gushing power eventually cascading and washing away. “Dimming Light” opens in a deep freeze, shrieks powering, spacious melodies embracing you as a crushing power washes over. Melodies explode as a driving power merges with a synth bath, engorging as things get even colder, scraping into the moonlight. “Maybe I Don’t Know It Yet, But Good Things Are Coming Soon” enters amid synth and acoustics, softer singing soothing, dreamy tones slowly unfurling. Speaking flutters before everything blasts apart, flooding with gazey energy, bubbling over before serenity reemerges and is absorbed into the ground.

“I Belong to the Void” lets guitars waft slowly, softly, yet immersively. Shrieks scathe as the guitars flow, quick whispers escalate and flutter in the atmosphere, while things gradually grow more frantic, keys glimmering before a frosty fade. “Like Dying” has the words drizzling, then a more propulsive power generating, the gazey cover grinding and ending in a gradually encompassing fire. Howls echo in the distance, and calmer singing then emerges, pianos glazing over a delicate finish. Closer “Keep Hidden” basks in keys, the singing feeling calmer and pillowy, but not to be denied are the frigid shrieks that reach around each corner. There’s a sense of vulnerability as strings swirl, lush melodies spreading, the feeling of isolation creeping into your bones, all gathering energies fading to dark mysteries.

“Only the Stars Know My Misfortune” is a record that balances light and dark tones nicely, but at the heart of this album is the emotion, loneliness, and desperation that don’t need decibels to be impactful. Isleptonthemoon might not be exactly what you need when adrenaline is soaring or if you want to smash something, but it’s ideal for contemplation with an edge, a bloodletting that needs some jabs in between reflection. This is perfect music for the shorter days upon us, when the light is at its least generous, and needing a hiding place to retreat from trauma feels like the most vital part of existence.

For more on the band, go here: https://isleptonthemoon.bandcamp.com/

To buy the album, go here: https://shop.bindrunerecordings.com/

For more on the label, go here: https://www.facebook.com/bindrunerecordings/

Every 7-10 years, our bodily cells completely regenerate themselves so that while what we see in the future isn’t terribly different than the past, you’re a completely separate human now. Along with what goes on physically, we alter our tastes and our mentality quite often, which also might explain why some close friends grow apart.

Luckily, The Body, the duo consisting of guitarist/vocalist Chip King and percussion/electronics Lee Buford, haven’t drifted away from each other and are still a doom-emblazoned beast, albeit in a regenerated body with new textures based on their travels. As they have been releasing their own records the past decade, they’ve been on a collaboration spree with artists such as Full of Hell, Big / Brave, Dis Fig, and plenty others, and they absorbed those influences from their creative partners into their DNA. The result is “The Crying Out of Things,” their ninth full-length, one that still crawls through the mud and manic crevices but adds noise, spiritual calls, and mind-altering groove to something that feels like extinction reaching across the globe.

“Last Things” begins with eerie clips that crawl down your spine, and then the drums surround you, King’s unmistakable and nearly inhuman shrieks crackling. Apocalyptic horns sound as the playing continues to corrode, slowly deforming and reaching into “Removal” that rivets with beats and screams cutting into the fabric. The sounds get bouncy with samples echoing and hovering, the shrieks peeling flesh from bone. The drums pound away as a demonic haze is achieved, ending in violent ricochet. “Careless and Worn” begins mournfully, drums tapping, death horns signaling the end could be near. A dusty heat makes breathing a chore while King’s vocals punish, the playing feeling like you’re in the midst of an old black-and-white Western, looking for any means to quench thirst. “A Premonition” has samples spiraling, an uneasy feeling creeping, and static screams causing panic. The howls then reverberate into a cloud of guitar fog, the drums punish, and we’re into total mania, surrounding you with crazed thoughts and spirits.

“Less Meaning” spits static bursts, blistering as laser-like sounds zap, crashing into devastating screams that amplify the menace.  The drums hammer as sounds melt, the weight crushing even harder, practically causing fainting spells heading into brief instrumental “The Citadel Unconquered.” It feels like heat death, beats pumping amid sounds that trick your ears and mind, finally drowning in strangeness. “End of Line” swims in weirdness, and then the percussive elements blast harder, melodies buried beneath the torment as the menace extends its reach. Dark sounds enter into a vortex, swallowing light whole, then regurgitating that into a force altogether different. “The Building” opens with Felicia Chen (Dis Fig) singing over smeared beats, the whole thing disorienting as it enters into the center of your brain. Shrieks belt and add a filthier element, pushing blackness into a storm that contains squeaking noises and the total annihilation by way of electrical storming. Closer “All Worries” is slow driving, liturgical chants adding to the unease, the playing scarring as a doomy haze forms. Shrieks scar as a funereal atmosphere envelopes, allowing bone-chilling elements into the air, everything ending gently while your body uncontrollably shakes.

It’s been stunning to hear how The Body have transformed over the past decade, and “The Crying Out of Things” feels like the culmination of all those experiments and collaborations into a greater whole. You could have dropped off at any point in the past 10 years and rejoined now and still recognized this band, even if by the husk. But there’s so much more going on musically and emotionally that a crash course into their recent history might make sense for some listeners. Regardless, this is a powerful statement, one they would not have been fully capable of realizing before. This has turned The Body into a new form with all barriers having been decimated.

For more on the band, go here: https://www.facebook.com/thebodyband/

To buy the album, go here: https://thrilljockey.com/products/the-crying-out-of-things

For more on the label, go here: https://thrilljockey.com/index

When Gared O’Donnell of Planes Mistaken for Stars announced in 2020 that he had an aggressive form of esophageal cancer that was going to require a lot of work and rest, it seemed clear music should take a back seat. Little more than a year later, he was gone. Yet almost three years after his passing, we have new PMfS music.

Turns out as O’Donnell was fighting for his life, the razor-throated vocalist/guitarist also was working with the rest of Planes on new music found on new fifth record “Do You Still Love Me?” his voice sounding no worse for wear, the band on fire. Rounded out by guitarist Chuck French, bassist Neil Keener, and drummer Mike “MONGO” Ricketts, the band went to work and came up with 13 songs and nearly 40 minutes of power they practically have trademarked, their hearts gushing from their chests. Plus, the cohesion, passion, and fire evident within the band sounds as strong as ever, and what I presume is their swan song shines brighter, yet grimier, than ever before.

“Matthew is Dead” is an ominous opener, paying homage to original guitarist Matthew Bellinger, blasting as O’Donnell’s raspy calls of the title repeat, the playing driving and letting smoke spread. “You’re dead, you’re dead, you’re dead,” he wails, the final moments are filled with feral screams and endless glass breaking, trying to come to terms. “Fix Me” has a melodic pulse, though punches do land, guitars flushing and pushing before blazing. “Just say you love me,” O’Donnell howls, the playing continuing to build steam to the finish. “Further” is heated as it spills out, not a long song but one with impact, especially with O’Donnell calling, “We’ve only got the night,” leads sizzling along with that plea. “The Arrow” blasts in with punk-style riffs, the energy heading forward with force, the singing bubbling over a frantic pace. Guitars then glimmer, the pace staying fast and catchy, loading into “Modern Logic” that dawns a little easier and brighter. There’s a bit of Smashing Pumpkins in their more gentle times, softer sounds creating a bit of solace. Riffs then spit light as the vocals float, dissolving into a sheen. “Punch the Gauge” has the drums pacing, the dark playing swimming through shadows, the tension bubbling under the surface. The playing then trudges and works into a fog, and then like the opener, screams take over, glass shattered mercilessly. 

“Do You Still Love Me? No. 1” is sludgy and menacing, O’Donnell insisting, “I don’t have the shakes, the shakes have me,” repeating that mantra as doomy waters flood. “Run Rabbit Run” is catchy and sunnier, slinking in and out of darkness, the title repeated over and over as a chorus. The energy is impossible to shake, the final blast or urgency burying hearts in the dust. “Peace” also has doomier tidings, O’Donnell’s words shredding as they drop, him calling out, “We call for peace we never know.” The thick sentiment and woe unite, fading into a harsh finish. “Put Your Heart on the Fire” chugs and is both gnarly and soft, a strange contrast that oddly works. As the band leans toward the chorus, O’Donnell calls, “We both know existence is cruel,” something that hits even harder knowing his fate. Melody floods on the other end, filling with emotion and spacey wooshes. “The Calming” starts a final spate of quick tracks, starting ominously and hanging like a storm cloud, the vocals prowling underneath as visibility becomes pointless, burning out in exhaust. “In Hell” punishes with punk-driven riffs, murky playing, and vocals that sink in their teeth, letting blood spatter as it pools beneath you. Finally, “Do You Still Love Me? No. 2” closes the recording, O’Donnell again insisting, “I don’t have the shakes, the shakes have me,” but this time over a more vulnerable, hypnotic bed of sound, perfectly lying this record to rest.

“Do You Still Love Me?” is a striking listen, both musically and knowing O’Donnell has breathed his last, but not before he worked to commit these songs to permanence. Planes Mistaken for Stars might not have been appreciated at the level they deserved, but for those with this band in their heart, this record is a perfect way to end this chapter, our losses recorded in time. There never will be another band like this, nor a force such as O’Donnell, and that makes the time we had with them ever the more precious, with these final songs etched in our minds forever.

For more on the band, go here: https://www.facebook.com/PlanesMistakenForStarsOfficial

To buy the album, go here: https://deathwishinc.com/collections/planes-mistaken-for-stars

For more on the label, go here: https://deathwishinc.com/

Darkness and depression are forces that are nearly impossible to avoid in one’s lifetime. No one gets out unscathed, and it’s a matter of how one deals with these issues that determines the damage sustained. The battle also doesn’t need to be grim all the time, and if you can laugh at yourself or at least make morbid jokes, it can serve to soothe wounds.

“Faded Dream,” the debut album from Neon Nightmare, treads those dark waters over seven tracks, and it’s clear that there is some mental and personal heaviness worked into these 41 minutes. This project, helmed by a creator who has yet to be named (though his creative spirit is adrift over these songs), definitely pays homage to Type O Negative-style bleak dark metal, but there also is a nice helping of doom and southern-fried sludge that adds some interesting textures to these bruisers. It also tackles the thorny issues that haunt us with a sardonic tone, understanding the weight of the matter but also refusing to be taken alive without some of our own jabs making deep contact.

“Higher Calling” opens, and don’t be a fool like me and get tricked into thinking you left your phone on vibrate. That’s just what slides over this intro track before the unrest swarms into “Lost Silver” that simmers in a bed of cold synth. The vocals are gothy and frosty, creaking over, the chorus coming to life, and if you don’t know who this artist is by now, I can’t help you. “Where did you go? Can’t feel you anymore,” he calls, hazy guitars lathering, fading into a glowing mist. “It’s All Over (For You)” is chilly, deeper singing boiling, the chorus warming your insides. “Rearranging chairs on the Titanic, everything’s OK, nobody panic,” he muses, the tempo beginning to get warmer, leads charging, keys blurring into time. “LATW2TG” is a little grungy and swaggering, the singing punching, the chorus bathing in sludge as our sole creator calls, “Laughing all the way to the grave.” Psychedelic thickness clogs veins as guitars catch fire, sun-scorched playing bleeding sepia.

“They Look Like Shadows” begins awash in piledriving power, grittier singing rising, sweltering heaviness making itself a force with which to be reckoned. The playing basks in echo, guitars bursting through clouds, the chorus punching back one more time with force.  “She’s Drowning” has chugging guitars and synth beaming, deeper singing again sinking into your bloodstream. Hazy and gothy guitars spread fog, sounds spilling over the edges, moody fires swallowing whole and pushing you through the razors. Closer “Promethean Gift” is the longest track, running 9:44, starting in a ghostly murk, guitars bending as softer singing creates the illusion of comfort. Images of a beast stuck inside, trying to crawl its way out makes this mission more harrowing, steamy guitar work wilting flesh, the call of, “He thrives on setting fires and spreading his disease,” sickening stomachs. Things turn strangely breezy, serenity raining cold drizzle, synth swimming through guitars’ oil fires.

Neon Nightmare clearly is a project that serves as a love letter to a certain era of goth-inspired metal, but our artist also injects some southern muscle into “Faded Dream” and doomy fire more reminiscent of his main project. It’s also cool that this is serious music but with a wry, curved smile, one that is trying to let you in on the misery but reminding you not to let it have power. This is a fun excursion, one that hopefully has more chapters ahead because if it shape-shifts like his main band, the future is exciting and uncertain.

For more on the band, go here: https://www.instagram.com/neonnightmaresucks/

To buy the album, go here: https://www.20buckspin.com/collections/neon-nightmare

For more on the label, go here: https://www.20buckspin.com/

We all have had stretches in our lives where things didn’t go well and we were our own worst enemies in a lot of those situations. Or we struggled with problems we may have brought on ourselves or that were intertwined into our relationships, and it ended up taking a mental and physical toll on us.

On “Hand of Severance,” the latest release from doom duo Coma Hole—vocalist/bassist Eryka Fir, drummer Steven Anderson—delves deeply into personal issues and when life gets chaotic for a stretch of time. Or even longer. This six-tracker stormer makes no bones about the scars shown and blood shed, and these 34 minutes address those matters head on, with eyes toward a better future. It’s also a step up musically for this duo as they add more muscle, make some of their edges sharper, and get even scuzzier. It’s also a payoff on the promise they showed on their 2022 self-titled EP, which deeply salves wounds.

“Alphaholics” starts with a radio dial being turned, scanning for familiar songs, reminding of the open of Queen of the Stone Age’s  “Songs for the Deaf,”  and then we’re soaring into burly doom, Fir lashing, “You can’t fix him, he’s the way he is.” That leads to psyche-heat bass work as the singing swelters, driving into burly terrain before a warm, buzzing finish. “Nevermind” is a molten haze, forceful singing landing blows, the playing grungy and menacing. The chorus is simple but effective, bass quivering and scuffling, heading toward a driving finish that leaves you scorched. “Rivermouth” opens with a muscular riff, the singing rising to the surface, Fir calling, “I’m caught up in the flood again.” Steely leads and pummeling drums add to the carnage, and then the temperature spikes, leaving a path of humidity and scorched air behind.

“Luster” has the bass slinking and vibrating, sultry singing adding to the heat, the vibes settling into cosmic dust. The playing slows but remains heavy, a bluesy psyche sheen stretching far, Fir calling, “I want you to want me like I want you,” droplets of sweat dotting the floor. “King Bee” is driving but also mystical, seductive singing sinking in its teeth and drawing blood. The playing punches harder as Fir’s vocals get a little raspier, the drums punching holes in your mind, the bass encircling before fading into a thick haze. Closer “Nooses” drives into a crunchy tempo, the band pummeling and making heads spin, singing sweltering as the riffs melt steel. That force only grows larger and more formidable, brawling through trudging storms and muddy paths, cold keys immersing with a sense of calm, letting the draining from the mental wounds slowly drip away.

It’s not easy acknowledging one’s self-destructive patterns, but there also is a strength and resolve that comes with that, which you can hear in full on “Hand of Severance.” Coma Hole repeatedly test you with heat and fire, forcing you to perform your own self-reflection while you’re being pummeled thoroughly physically and psychologically. This album leaves bruises but also provides a pathway to healing, giving you the proper, blasting doom buzz to help come to terms and manage the next steps on your own. 

For more on the band, go here: https://www.facebook.com/ComaHole/

To buy the album, go here: https://comahole.bandcamp.com/music

There hasn’t been a time in metal history when genre boundaries made less of a difference when it comes to bands making new music. It always was silly that we kept certain sounds apart, like it was equivalent to vegetable juice leaking onto your brownie on your sectioned dinner tray. Smashing flavors together made for new metallic possibilities.

Legendarium is the brainchild of Dutch multi-instrumentalist/vocalist Laurence Kerbov, and over the course of the project’s run, there’s hardly been a form of extreme and heavy music he’s shied away from adding to his recipe. On fifth album “For Eternal Glory,” Kerbov and the band (drummer Stefano Vaccari, tin whistle player Jared Archon) launch into the stratosphere again, using power metal as a base and piling all kinds of different influences on top of that. Death metal, punk, pop, and folk all have a part in these 12 songs, and this continues Legendarium’s run of records that on the surface really shouldn’t work, but once it’s presented to you, it’s magical. Try to say you’re not having fun. I fucking dare you.

“A Thousand Swords” has a huge open, guitars racing as Kerbov’s howls rampage, a huge melodic chorus taking the breath from your lungs. The tone is defiant and forceful, the soloing unloading, a burst of Helloween-style histrionics closing the door. “Cloaked in Crimson” has the power gushing, leads in full gallop, cleaner singing coming in, especially over the boisterous chorus. The playing toughens and the vocals get raspier, flexing muscle as the speed hits a high point before burning off. “Nightfall in the Deep Woods” starts with boots crunching through snow and deep breathing before keys enter and bring a wintry shine, the pace then taking off. Vocals mangle as the playing takes a turn toward death metal, the guitar work becoming more fluid, fiery wails following in their wake, then going cold before the footsteps crush ground again. “Tomorrow We Die” opens in chambery synth as gruff howls follow, the playing churning even through a melodic chorus that feeds off folkish roots. It’s a rousing song, one that prepares for battle, one that could be the last, and if so, Kerbov vows, “We’ll all meet again in the great hall in the sky.” “Destiny Awaits” is a quick instrumental interlude built with synth passages, rousing acoustics, and a rustic spirit, leading into the title track that begins engulfed in flames. The playing charges as the vocals punish, a throaty rage working with guitars that overpower. Crazed calls make blood rush as synth layers and glistens, coming to a rousing finish.

“My Life in Your Hands” is where the record takes a stylistic change more toward a punk feel, not surprising considering Legendarium’s back catalog. This track could excite an Alkaline Trio fan, perhaps, as the energy is undeniable, but so is the darkness, Kerbov singing, “Would you put your life in mine?” paying off the electricity and pop power. “Cursed!” follows a similar path, and the guitars are speedy while the vocals mangle, leading the way to a melodic chorus that lures you in. Guitars glow and tear, and when Kerbov wails, “Forever cursed, never whole,” the darkness sets in fully. “Crypt Crusher” has guitars in total command, punk-fueled singing leading the way, and the tempo fully taking off. Guitars chug as the vocals snarl, giving off a dark essence, spooky synth working into the mix, the leads blazing once more to leave everything in ash. Would it surprise you a song called “Dragonriders” is a great adventure? It’s fast and catchy, the vocals punishing as the playing rampages, racing to trample everything in its path. The soloing bursts with color even amid the vocals turning back toward the ugly, stabbing an exclamation point at the end. “Kill Kill Kill” begins powered hard by the drumming, riffs mashing, screams tangling in a synth cloud. The chorus delves back into punk, slickly so, as the keys give off a fog, the guitars letting fires choke out for good. “Through the Endless Night” ends things, driving through heaviness, the singing burning, the chorus rousing and soothing wounds. Thunder continues to strike, the siege of power coming closer to fruition as Kerbov howls, “You’ll die on your throne!” as the track comes to a huge, animated finish that spikes your adrenaline one last time.

“For Eternal Glory” is the type of record that’s varied but art home in its time, a mix of power metal, death, and punk that not only works well together but wouldn’t be as formidable without one of those elements. The fact Legendarium manage to make this record so powerful and fun is another boost, something lost to the decades because at one time, you were supposed to feel alive when digesting heavy metal. This album continues Kerbov’s exploits from the last several years where you lock into the record, lose yourself easily, and come out totally energized on the other side.

By the way, Fiadh releases a ton of good stuff constantly, which is way too much for me to digest and regurgitate intelligently. Check out their Bandcamp (link below). I particularly liked the Morke and Haunter releases, and there’s also a lot of quality dungeon synth for your feasting.

For more on the band, go here: https://www.instagram.com/legendariumband/

To buy the album, go here: https://fiadh.bandcamp.com/album/for-eternal-glory

For more on the label, go here: https://fiadh.bandcamp.com/music

If you’ve ever seen an ocean, and it’s not unreasonable that someone reading hasn’t, you know the incredible force standing in front of you is insurmountable. There are sections of ocean unexplored, cloaked in blackness with creatures potentially lurking that we cannot fathom. It can be a terrifying thought when you realize how tiny you are in comparison.

Swiss black metal phantoms Schammasch clearly understand the power and might, and they once again transfer that to their weighty, yet mind-numbing creations on “The Maldoror Chants: Old Ocean.” This, their fifth full-length, actually is a direct descendant of their 2017 EP “The Maldoror Chants: Hermaphrodite” as it also references Les Chants de Maldoror, written by Comte de Lautréamont and released in the late 1860s. I would explain my understanding of this text, but no one wants to hear me ramble on and try to make sense of the themes and story involved. Google, man. Anyway, the band—vocalist/guitarist C.S.R, guitarists M.A and J.B, bassist P.D, drummer B.A.W—pays great homage to the ocean, realizing the gulf of difference in size between that body of water and any singular human, and deepening the mystery of what lurks in its miles and miles of total darkness.

“Crystal Waves” is the 13:37-long opener and longest track on the record, and it begins clean, waves crashing, the aura building slowly and suspensefully. C.S.R. recites his words, and then the singing lands and swoops deep into dark valleys. The playing trickles as the howls take off heads, punches thrown as the madness snarls in the air. The drama finally calms, waters washing over again, and then the playing wrenches all over, the drums rumbling as the tempo plasters, melodies crashing to the shore. “A Somber Mystery” is a quick instrumental that swims well below the surface, eeriness at every push through the inky black, classic guitars prodding and spilling into “Your Waters Are Bitter” that has guitars pushing and pulling, screams rippling through your nervous system. The playing is savagely fluid, the singing fluttering and entering into a driving hellscape, channeled rage punishing the earth. The vocals bellow, then turning into static-rich wails, the pace picking up dangerously as drums clobber, the shrieks tearing down dimensions. Guitars chug as cataclysmic visions tunnel, colors rushing and fading.

“They Have Found Their Master” starts in deliberate fashion, guitars simmering and gaining heat, tornadic pressure making its way in, C.S.R. howling, “You cannot enter here, to know your place and accept your lot.” The vocals turn to cold singing, but the punishment increases, the cry of, “Old ocean, you are so powerful that men have learned this to their own cost,” sending chills, lava pooling beneath the waters. Kathrine Shepard (Sylvaine) lends her powerful voice, adding drama and majesty, everything dissolving. “Image of the Infinite” basks in clean echoes, singing floating, spoken lines swimming in the haze, haunting visions leading to 10:51-long closer “I Hail You, Old Ocean” that begins super charged. Singing drives as the pace rips everything apart, crazed howls rampaging, feeling slightly raspy and venomous. The tempo is furious and spirited, fluid leads driving through the veins, the melodies bubbling over the rim. Singing warbles as the pace storms and spirals, swelling calls shivering, a symphonic burst bringing the end.

Schammasch’s tribute to the great oceans is the cinematic, thunderous statement you expect from this band, and it’s impossible to walk away and not feel in awe. “The Maldoror Chants: Old Ocean” not only does well by its source material, it also embodies the vastness of great bodies of water, a force that always will dwarf humankind. This is music for a great exploration in your mind, something that can add power and glory to your dreams of entering places never explored before.

For more on the band, go here: https://www.facebook.com/SCHAMMASCH/

To buy the album, go here: https://shop.prostheticrecords.com/

For more on the label, go here: https://prostheticrecords.com/

The universe is massive and terrifying, and we have no idea what’s really out there. Think of all the monsters and beasts you’ve dreamt in your mind. How do you know something like that doesn’t exist somewhere beyond our world, waiting to strike? Those possibilities have informed heavy metal, and it’s made our imaginations more deranged.

There are few bands as responsible as Gigan for conjuring mind-altering visions in their brand of death metal. For the past 12 years, this force has delivered five full-length albums, the latest being “Anomalous Abstractigate Infinitessimus,” that delve into the horrors of the cosmos, but in a way that’s as fascinating as it is brutal. On this new album, the band—mastermind/multi-instrumentalist Eric Hersemann, vocalist Jerry Kavouriaris, drummer Nathan Cotton—pours 47 minutes of space horror death metal over eight tracks that continually whisk you to other places and immediately terrify you with that you see and hear. Yet, in the end, you’ll have had an adventure that will capture your mind.

“Trans-Dimensional Crossing of the Alta-Tenuis” opens in total darkness, a stirring atmosphere greeting chugging guitars that crush worlds. The monstrous pace explodes into spacey leads, the soloing going off toward the outer rim. Growls engorge as the playing explodes, and then we’re on to “Ultra-Violet Shimmer and Permeating Infra-sound” that’s a bettering ram at the start. A strange aura floats as guitars tease, bizarre streaks disarming, the playing spiraling and reverberating toward a disruptive end. “Square Wave Subversion” opens with trampling guitars and zany playing, the growls menacing as the roars explode. Guitars leave the surface and begin a deep exploration, weird zaps making your brain surge, the jolts removing guts. “Emerging Sects of Dagonic Acolytes” flattens the mind with disarming sounds landing, the steam rising from a developing miasma. Alien-drenched growls slither, a cosmic stretch making the search for oxygen nearly pointless, going into a trampling assault that sizzles closed with fire.

“Katabatic Windswept Landscapes” opens with spiraling guitars, snaking and boiling in the guts of the universe, howls crushing every being along the way. A spacey sheen drips silver as destructive energy lands body blows, guitars peel off, and the landing is fiery and violent. “Erratic Pulsitivity and Horror” barrels through, the pace pummeling and tearing, growls ripping a hole in time. The playing engorges, drama dashing and terrifying, a menacing and beastly power rising and driving to a manic finish. “The Strange Harvest of the Baganoids” have the guitars instantly going into psychedelic terrain, blistering as the growls grab your throat and squeeze, the melodies digging in and pushing past other worlds. The playing ruptures and chews terrain, the space buzz returning to the death growls, a strange haze rising and crash landing. Closer “Ominous Silhouettes Cast Across Gulfs of Time” spews down-tuned madness, sounds boiling and creating a cosmic corrosion, heat rising from the surface. A metallic gust melts into a sound wash, intergalactic beams bringing grim death, shrieks destroying as the ungodly heaviness increases pressure and warps gravity.

Gigan’s death metal universe is both self-contained and exploding over into our own world, which is why it’s always exciting and a little unsettling when they dream up new material. “Anomalous Abstractigate Infinitessimus” is a mouthful to say and another bizarre journey to experience, and all the while you’ll be battered senseless. Even as cosmic death metal morphs into something new, this band reminds of when this style was more brutal and fantastical, something to which Gigan always commit fully.

For more on the band, go here: https://www.facebook.com/Giganmusic/

To buy the album, go here: https://www.willowtip.com/bands/details/gigan.aspx

For more on the label, go here: https://www.willowtip.com/home.aspx

There are few things as satisfying as straight-up, honest death metal that’s only here to grind you into a pulp. It’s how things were when the sound got started some 30-plus years ago, and as we all know, things have expanded and shapeshifted over time. Still, finding something that’s here to serve a proper beating remains a good time when done right.

“Suffer as One” is the debut full-length from death metal power Living Gate, and despite its members boasting credits in other noteworthy bands such as YOB, Amenra, Oathbreaker, and Wiegedood, this record is a full-on beating. Comprised of vocalist/guitarist Levy Seynaeve, guitarist Lennart Bossu, bassist Aaron Rieseberg, drummer Wim Coppers, this group is here to deliver late 1990s-style death metal that aims to reign supreme, dominating with brutality and tenacity that makes it feel like you went several rounds in a cage fight. Sure, the imaginative material that pushes boundaries is fun too, but sometimes you need a nice dose of the guttural stuff.

“To Cut Off the Head of the Snake” rips, mauling growls leading the way, the guitars snaking through rivers of muck. Ugliness thickens as Seynaeve wails, “I am the offering, I am the sacrifice,” as the lumbering madness comes to a crushing end. “Internal Decomposition” mashes, the guitars clashing, even glimmering in spots, deep growls engorging as the bass envelopes. Screams curdle as the playing alters minds, burning in psychedelic heat. “Destroy and Consume” opens with the drums smashing, the plastering playing drawing blood as growls lurch, the battering moving into dangerous heat. The chorus is simple but effective, leads clouding our mind before an abrupt end. “A Unified Soul” has wrenching guitars and punishing howls, thrashing punishment dealt in generous helpings. The atmosphere stretches as the heat brings everything to a boil, shimmering notes dripping in horror. “Massive Depletion in Eb Minor” is a quick interlude with the bass tracing patterns, guitars echoing, a transformative void slipping into the title track where riffs slice through veins. The guitars maul as the force becomes a greater factor, a shredding force working into a disarming calm. Eerie melodies leak out of every crevice, the guitars giving off strange light beams before fading.

“Ones and Zeroes” opens with gasping growls and a bludgeoning force that lays waste. A menacing fury builds as unforgiving growls bury your face in soot, the guitars later going spacey and atmospheric, turning to brutality again for a mashing end. “Hunting Maggots” is a gross idea, and the band explodes into infernal hell, the tempo buckling and punishing, the playing finding a new violent gear. Fluid leads give off a classic death metal feel, and the final moments spit blood and bone. “Atoms and Particles” is sudden and furious, growls punching holes in chests, the pace igniting and delivering a steady diet of speed. Whispery passages send chills before animalistic playing does ample damage, Seynaeve howling, “Abandon all hope!” “Overcome, Overthrow” attacks, meaty growls leaving bruising, thrashy devastation creating a virtual war zone. The vocals change off from shrieks to growls and back, and then a battering force destroys, ungodly destruction meted out generously. Closer “CQC” gurgles with bloody growls, driving death makes safety unattainable, and melodies swim through murk to add some color to the carnage. Leads sprawl as stench and steam arise, a clip of Charles Bukowski taking us out with, “So, I have very little fear of death. I almost welcome it.”

Living Gate deliver old-school, ramming death metal that has little need or use for polish and exists simply to let brutality stab a new path. “Suffer as One” is a tried-and-true exercise in the most unforgiving, filthy version of death, the kind that makes you feel like cobwebs are plastered to your face and that skullduggery is near. It’s a blast from the past into a volatile future, one Living Gate seem only too happy to douse with their own blood.

For more on the band, go here: https://www.facebook.com/LivingGate666/

To buy the album, go here: https://www.relapse.com/pages/living-gate-suffer-as-one

For more on the label, go here: https://www.relapse.com/